Morning journal and courier., 1887-07-29
THE CAME OF GRACE.

Of course none of the young ladies who play lawn tennis in New Haven know how bewitching they look as racquet in hand they go through the game. The New Haven Tennis club can boast of having some first class players and as fine grounds as there are in the Union. Professional players who came here this year and in 1886 were loud in the praise of the many courts and of their fine location on Whitney avenue. Hartford has now organized club, taking after New Haven in this respect, and will build club house similar to New Haven's.
 Tennis is of very respectable antiquity. It's origin is lost in the midst of the early ages and even the early history of the va- riety now so popular under the name ot lawn tennis is practically unknown. AS far back as the days of Louis XIV the game was played in the open air in France and alluslon has already been made to the English game of 1591. Medieval tennis, however, was for the most part played in courts built for the purpose and surrounded by high walls. It required, like the modern game, two or four persons: but, unlike the modern game, ad- mitted of more players. It has always been in all it's varying forms pastime in which both agility and skill were required and de- bends as little upon chance as any game that can be mentioned. It was the favorite amusement of the nobility and numerous monarchs are recorded as experts in it.
 About the end of the fifteenth century the French divided their game of tennis into the two varieties Longue Paumue and Courte Paumue the latter being practically the lawn tennis of to-day. The counting was almost identical with that at present in use, which differs from that introduced by Captain Wingfeld st the time of his revival of the game. The set consisted of the best of ten games, as 1t practically does now, and the points were fifteen, thirty, forty and game, the term "deuce" being used as in modern play. The count was, however, marked of into complicated series of classes, the diff ferent divisions being known as the grille, the tanbour and so on, and the counting " as thereby rendered considerably involved.
 Heavy stakes often depended upon the tennis matches of the knights and squares of high degree Gin the olden time" On Octo- Der 27, 1594, it is recorded that Henry Il, ot France lost four hundred gold ecus at the wagers may be discovered by anyone curious in these matters. When w. Renshaw came before the British public as champion, his chief points were strong overland service and rapid volleying at the net. The result was to make the game very brilliant to the spec tator. the balls being kept long in the air. It is on record at this stage of English lawn tennis, some ten years ago, two champions once passed ball backward and forward S3 times before grounding it.. Volleying at the net however, was so easily met by proper placing of the ball behind the player that it's day was short one. MT. Renshaw modified his play so as to make it's chief feature the swift yolley and half volley from the cen- ter of the court.
 The great lawn tennis championship meet ing held on the grounds of the All-England Lawn Tennis club at Wimbledon, begun on July 4, 1884, and ended on July IS, was the most important series of lawn tennis games ever played. The costumes of all the lady players at Wimbledon were marked chiefly by their simplicity and plainness. There was no attempt at rivalling the coquettlsh costumes usually seen on private lawn tennis grounds in the United States and England. The girl players did not wear corsets.
 One bit of advice given by an English au- thority might well be laid to heart by every player: Never strike the ball on the rebound while it is on the rise; the proper time to strike is when the ball has turned and IS on the way to the ground By the time play CT has acquired self control to appreciate and apply those fine points of the play he is far
 on the high road to glory as tennis cham pion. In the old-fashioned game with it's involved classes 1t was said that at least a score of years were needed to become pro- fcient, but in the modern tennis two or three seasons' careful play will make really fine amateur. The game is spreading wherever English is spoken or the American has betaken himself. In British colonies,
 even in torrid India and in Africa, it is i'm
 mensely popular; while reports of games and matches are constantly turning up in the most unexpected places. It is not lnfre- quent in this city to see parties at play on private grounds and lawns on nearly every prominent street. Many family finds the exercise exceedingly healthful and pleasant,
 while for the ladies it is an agreeable way of entertaining gentlemen friends.
 A few moments observation of lawn ten his in play enables the novice to understand the game. It is another thing to play it we'll since proficiency is matter of natural aptitude and constant practice. For the in- struction of persons who have no opportuni- ty of seeing the game in operation, the ele- mentary steps may be indicated as follows: Where two persons play one is called "striker out" Suppose the server is to be playing from the side; he places one foot on or within the base line and the other with- out, In this position he strikes the ball with the racquet so as to serve it over the net into the corresponding right court, where the striker out awaits 1t behind the service line. The striker out let's the ball
 bound once, and before it reaches the ground second time he must strike it back over the net. The server is required to send 1t
 back, and to do this he may "volley" the
 ball (that Is strike it before it reaches the ground) or strike it after it bounds once
 The bail is sent thus back and forth so long as it is in play, that is until it twice touches the ground or is struck out of court or into the net or strikes the person of either
 player in which case the ball is said to be dead. When service ball strikes the top of the net, yet passes over it, it is called "let" and does not count.
 3I,, I@o11 ;r ,Io ,oolya score for the opponent ball is not in
 play until it has been served as above into the court of the strike-out. A failure to serve within the court of the strike-out is called 8
 ssfault." I've successive faults count score against the server. The second ball is served from the left base line into the left court, and so on from right to left until the game is out. The modern game is counted like ancient tennis. Before either player has scored the score is called Glove all." The first score or ace counts 15; the second 15 more, or 30 all told, the third 10 more, or 40, and the fifth scores game. When both sides are 40 at the same time it is called "deuce;" then two successive scores on either side are necessary to win. The first score after deuce is called
 "advantage." If the next score is in favor of the opponent then it is deuce again, and so on till one or the other makes two success sive scores. In the second game the striker
 out becomes the server, or striker-in. They
 
 six games, thereby winning the "set.'' In four handed games partners are right and left. They alternate in serving; and, in striking out, the right partner takes all balls served into the right court (his partner GOV. ering his flank to stop all missed balls), and the left partner takes all balls served into the left court. The partner who is not serv- ing usually plays in near the service line toward his own side, or the center, it being the duty of the server to defend the rear ot the court. In three-handed games it is two against one, the partners playing as in four" handed games.
 There are three ways of serving, the under hand, the overland and the high service. For the simple underhand service, grasp the racquet in the middle of the handle, and
 stepping, drop the ball, striking it with the racquet full-faced.
 To put "sides" on the ball, strike it with racquet nearly horizontal but slightly inclin. ed forward This will put right hand twist on the ball, so that when it bounds it will skew toward the striker-out in a very pug zling way If he is prepared for straight { stroke he must alter his position or play z